I bought the movie last week and watched it last night.
I was expecting a good/great performance from Jessica Lange, but man, I was blown away. Sexy and crazy, she was incredible to watch. I also thought Tommy Lee and the supporting cast was really good.
I wish they would have focused on the Jessica and Tommy relationship more, but the story was good.
Lange's performance was unforgettable. This is currently my favorite film of hers; although, I love all her films, even the less popular ones.
shareThis is also my favorite film and performance of Lange's. It's amazing what she does here - basically serving us up a veritable chameleon who channels Bardot, Taylor and Monroe to perfection whilst purring, storming, raging and slinking her way into our hearts. No other actress could have pulled this off. That's the sign of a great performance.
I also love that it's one of her few "feel good" movies. It sparkles with a charming nostalgia that never sacrifices the ugly realism.
Tommy Lee was the perfect counterpart. I thought he was great opposite Sissy Spacek in COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER, too. Maybe it is his darkness and masculinity that really bring out the best in his fairer leading ladies. Fantastic film and performances all the way around.
shareAs per Cultfilmfever:
Lange did say in an 1997 Charlie Rose interview in regards to Jones's performance she referred to it as "perfect" and that he set her up to do what she needed to do with the character. That in the hands of a lessor actor, the character of Hank would have come off "wimpish" or weak where as Jones was so strong, that the film was ultimately a love story.
When asked how many times she had experienced that with other actors Rose asked, Lange responded, " not many".
Lange and Jones also worked together a decade before in a Masterpiece theater production of "Cat on a Hot Tin Hoof". Not bad!